A Day in the Life of a Hindu Priest

This is the principle of non-violence; living a life that causes as little harm as possible.

Ahimsa implies more than just avoidance of physical violence; it implies total nonviolence, no physical violence, and no passive violence (e.g. prejudice, depriving others of their rights).

A ceremony where incense and lamps are used to welcome or give thanks to God.

Arti is the ‘ceremony of light’, involving the waving of lighted candle wicks before sacred images; this infuses the flames with the gods’ and goddesses’ love, energy and blessings.

The sacred symbol and sound that represents the creation of everything; the most sacred of Hindu words.

Aum was the sound made at the beginning of the universe, when everything came into being.

The name given to a body taken on by a God (usually Vishnu) to come to Earth. This is sometimes known as an ‘incarnation’ of God.

Amongst the best known avatars of the God Vishnu are Rama and Krishna.

This literally means ‘Song of the Lord’ and is an important scripture for most Hindus. The central story concerns a war between different parts of the same family and takes the form of a dialogue between Arjuna, and his chariot driver, who is the God Vishnu in the form of Krishna.

The focus of the Bhagavad Gita is on a person’s inner struggle for self-control, selfless duty and spiritual progress.

The Hindu name for the one God or one Spirit that is everywhere and part of everything; from which everything comes, and will eventually return.

The Spirit of Brahman has inhabited the forms of many different Gods and Goddesses in Hinduism.

The eternal religion; also known as Vedic Dharma because the term ‘Dharma’ comes from Hindu scriptures called the ‘Vedas’. There are over 1 billion Hindus in the world with the majority living in India and Nepal.

Hindus often prefer to use ‘Sanatan Dharma’ instead of ‘Hinduism’ to represent their religion, since it characterises their belief in the revealed and universal nature of religion.

An avatar of Vishnu. One of the most popular Hindu Gods. He is the God of compassion, tenderness and love and is usually portrayed as having blue or dark skin, wearing a peacock feather and playing the flute. Sometimes he is shown as a playful baby.

Krishna’s teachings are found in the Bhagavad Gita . Many of those who are devoted to the worship of Krishna join the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

Hindu place of a worship – a temple.

The principal purpose of the mandir is to be a place of worship but it also fulfils many other roles for its community. It is the place where religious ceremonies take place, such as a marriage or a festival. It is also a place where religious leaders can address the congregation.

This literally means ‘form’ and usually refers to the image of a God or Goddess used as a focus of worship. The words ‘Idol’ and ‘statue’ should not be used.

A murti can be used for worship after a ceremony in a Hindu temple which invites God’s presence into the image.

Hindu worship includes a variety of practices e.g. prayers, chants, offerings

Puja can take place in the home or mandir (temple).

The Ramayana is a Hindu scripture that is built upon the life of Rama, who is regarded as an avatar of the God Vishnu.

The Ramayana tells the story of how Rama defeated the demon Ravana to rescue his wife, Sita. This story is celebrated by Hindus at the festival of Diwali.

This refers to three Hindu Gods – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Together they represent and control the three universal powers of creation, preservation and destruction.

Hindus have different views about the nature of the Trimurti – some do not acknowledge it as a useful idea – though most ascribe particular powers to one or more of the deities and most forms of God in Hinduism are related to them in some way.

It is important not to confuse varna with the word ‘jati’ (meaning ‘community’ but often translated by Europeans as ‘caste’) which refers to thousands of different communities across the varnas, and not to varnas themselves. For many Hindus there is no distinction of varnas in reality, because the whole universe is Brahman. Any divisions of character and class are falsely made by humans.

Any teaching which is consistent with the conclusions of the four vedas is also accepted as vedic.

Hindus may practise yoga in order to bring their soul into closer union with God.